291THEN JACOB went [briskly and cheerfully] on his way [400 miles] and came to the land of the people of the East.2As he looked, he saw a well in the field; and behold, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it, for out of that well the flocks were watered. The stone on the well’s mouth was a big one,3And when all the flocks were gathered there, [the shepherds] would roll the stone from the well’s mouth, water the sheep, and replace the stone on the well’s mouth.4And Jacob said to them, My brothers, where are you from? And they said, We are from Haran.5[Jacob] said to them, Do you know Laban the grandson of Nahor? And they said, We know him.6He said to them, Is it well with him? And they said, He is doing well; and behold, here comes his daughter Rachel with [his] sheep!7He said, The sun is still high; it is a long time yet before the flocks need be gathered [in their folds]. [Why not] water the sheep and return them to their pasture?8But they said, We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together; then [the shepherds] roll the stone from the well’s mouth and we water the sheep.9While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she shepherded them.10When Jacob saw Rachel daughter of Laban, his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his uncle, Jacob went near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth and watered the flock of his uncle Laban.11Then Jacob kissed Rachel and he wept aloud.12Jacob told Rachel he was her father’s relative, Rebekah’s son; and she ran and told her father.13When Laban heard of the arrival of Jacob his sister’s son, he ran to meet him, and embraced and kissed him and brought him to his house. And [Jacob] told Laban all these things.14Then Laban said to him, Surely you are my bone and my flesh. And [Jacob] stayed with him a month.15Then Laban said to Jacob, Just because you are my relative, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?16Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the elder was Leah and the name of the younger was Rachel.17Leah’s eyes were weak and dull looking, but Rachel was beautiful and attractive.18And Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, I will work for you for seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.19And Laban said, It is better that I give her to you than to another man. Stay and live with me.20And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.21Finally, Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife, for my time is completed, so that I may take her to me.22And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast [with drinking].23But when night came, he took Leah his daughter and brought her to [Jacob], who had intercourse with her.24And Laban gave Zilpah his maid to his daughter Leah to be her maid.25But in the morning [Jacob saw his wife, and] behold, it was Leah! And he said to Laban, What is this you have done to me? Did I not work for you [all those seven years] for Rachel? Why then have you deceived and cheated and thrown me down [like this]?26And Laban said, It is not permitted in our country to give the younger [in marriage] before the elder.27Finish the [wedding feast] week [for Leah]; then we will give you [Rachel] also, and you shall work for me yet seven more years in return.28So Jacob complied and fulfilled [Leah’s] week; then [Laban] gave him Rachel his daughter as his wife.29(And Laban gave Bilhah his maid to Rachel his daughter to be her maid.)30And Jacob lived with Rachel also as his wife, and he loved Rachel more than Leah and served [Laban] another seven years [for her].31And when the Lord saw that Leah was despised, He made her able to bear children, but Rachel was barren.32And Leah became pregnant and bore a son and named him Reuben [See, a son!]; for she said, Because the Lord has seen my humiliation and affliction; now my husband will love me.33[Leah] became pregnant again and bore a son and said, Because the Lord heard that I am despised, He has given me this son also; and she named him Simeon [God hears].34And she became pregnant again and bore a son and said, Now this time will my husband be a companion to me, for I have borne him three sons. Therefore he was named Levi [companion].35Again she conceived and bore a son, and she said, Now will I praise the Lord! So she called his name Judah [praise]; then [for a time] she ceased bearing.